Re: Solo Bass - yes, chordally

In Reply to: Re: Solo Bass posted by paige on February 09, 2000 at 07:51:25:

: : I want to become a better soloist, where should I begin?

: Paige Responds:: Learn your chords... how they are built, what notes are in any given chord. Learn to do the arpeggios of each chord (that is, play all the notes in a chord one at a time). As you learn this, you will begin to find yourself prepared to put together some very nice lines on your bass.: Also... you didn't say if you read music or not... if you don't, then learn! Then start reading melody lines on your bass... you will get great ideas that way. Personally, as someone who has played for 28 years, most of my solos - at least at some point - touch on the melody at some point. I personally spend time learning the melodies of tunes on my bass. Besides... the melody is a solo that is guaranteed to work... so it can be a good place to start.: Paige---------------------------------------------------------------You may be interested in my new book "Jazz Improv For Bass" written from experience in playing with the finest jazzmen in the late 50s, it's the right way: chordally, stacked triads, pivotal b5 and other easy chordal substitutes, chordal progression progressions and other movements with continuity-Joe Pass materials, all bass clef. Based on not only live jazz playing (voted No. 3 on polls mid 70s behind Jaco and Stanley Clarke) but also on decades of teaching the elec. bass.